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Museum Quality Very Heavy Gold Pair of Cocle Dragon Head Bells (Price On Request)

Massive pendant of gold cast by the lost-wax (cire perdue) method in the form of conjoined supernatural animals from Macaracas, Phase VI B of the Cocle culture, which archaeologist are currently dating from around AD 800-1000. The culture is also call Parita ( the name of a powerful chief who ruled much of the area when the Spanish arrived). The animals seem to represent crocodiles with frog-like bodies which end in stylized flippers. The center flippers are joined, as are the head crest of little triangles which may represent saurian scales. A stylized serpent with a double body (covered with tiny ‘S’ coils) helps complete the joining of the beasts. On the bodies are pairs of little serpents. Macaracas paired animals often look away from each other. They give the impression that they want to tear themselves away. The bodies of the animals are rattle chambers. Each has a gold pellet inside. The pellets and the surfaces of the rattle chambers are considerably worn, especially on the bottoms where the pellets rolled around most. One unusual feature of the rattle chambers is that they continue up the necks and into the heads of the animals. When the pendant is handled the pellets can roll into the heads of the animals and appear in their mouths. The outer suspension loops, where the cord rubbed, are also worn. The pendant must have been worn for a lifetime, perhaps more that one lifetime before it was entombed. The casting is the work of a master goldsmith. H: 5.6 cm; 2 1/4″ W: 13.9 cm; 5 1/2″

SKU: CA-024 Categories:, , Tag:

Product Description

Massive pendant of gold cast by the lost-wax (cire perdue) method in the form of conjoined supernatural animals from Macaracas, Phase VI B of the Cocle culture, which archaeologist are currently dating from around AD 800-1000. The culture is also call Parita ( the name of a powerful chief who ruled much of the area when the Spanish arrived). The animals seem to represent crocodiles with frog-like bodies which end in stylized flippers. The center flippers are joined, as are the head crest of little triangles which may represent saurian scales. A stylized serpent with a double body (covered with tiny ‘S’ coils) helps complete the joining of the beasts. On the bodies are pairs of little serpents. Macaracas paired animals often look away from each other. They give the impression that they want to tear themselves away. The bodies of the animals are rattle chambers. Each has a gold pellet inside. The pellets and the surfaces of the rattle chambers are considerably worn, especially on the bottoms where the pellets rolled around most. One unusual feature of the rattle chambers is that they continue up the necks and into the heads of the animals. When the pendant is handled the pellets can roll into the heads of the animals and appear in their mouths. The outer suspension loops, where the cord rubbed, are also worn. The pendant must have been worn for a lifetime, perhaps more that one lifetime before it was entombed. The casting is the work of a master goldsmith. H: 5.6 cm; 2 1/4″ W: 13.9 cm; 5 1/2″

Additional information

Circa

800 -1000 A.D.

Weight

0.8181 lbs

Dimensions

512 in